Justice Story

The Effectiveness of Women’s Transit

Throughout the past thirty years, women have never had to worry about finding a ride home because of Washington State University’s Women’s Transit.
However, the real question becomes is Women’s Transit effective as everyone thinks?
WSU Campus Police Officer Mike Petlovany believes that this program has made a great impact on the safety of getting women to their homes.
“I definitely think that Women’s Transit has made a difference in this community,” Petlovany said. “There are a lot more pros than cons about this program and its great to see that it’s still available today.”
Petlovany also went on to talk about how Women’s Transit takes a good deal of pressure off of the WSU Campus Police because of the fact that they don’t have to worry about single women walking home alone at night.
Women’s Transit has been able to continue to operate throughout the many years at WSU because of the success of having so many volunteers help out. Last year, there were about 160 volunteers and they had three different cars that would operate each night due to the heavy volume of use.
For the academic year of 2006-2007, Women’s Transit provided 10,803 rides and logged over 30,000 miles during the 140 days of operation. The numbers have been around the same throughout the past couple of years.
Program Coordinator Mary Anderson has been associated with Women’s Transit for quite some time and believes the program is the strongest it has ever been.
“Women’s Transit is a great benefit to the women on the WSU campus,” Anderson said. “I think it is amazing that this program has been able to survive this long without much funding at all.”
Anderson also talked about how she is very impressed that the amount of volunteers for this program usually increases every year.
“It’s great to know that there are people out there that are concerned about the safety of women at night,” Anderson said. “It’s unbelievable that we have so many volunteers every year.”
WSU Junior Student Jessica Cox has used the service before and will continue to use it anytime she finds herself walking home alone at night.
“I have used Women’s Transit a few times and it is a great way for any girl to get home safely,” Cox said. “Women’s Transit is a great benefit and I think it is good that WSU cares this about their students.”
The Women’s Transit Program originated in the fall of 1977 when Mary Wyer, the Outreach Coordinator for the WSU Women's Resource Center, presented the concept to several people in the Women's Center and received many favorable responses. The program first had a set route but that was quickly changed to the door-to- door service they offer now.
Women’s Transit operates seven days a week from 6 p.m. to midnight. On Fridays and Saturdays, Women’s Transit extends its hours from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. Women can reach Women’s Transit at 509-335-6830.

Mike Petlovany – 509-335-8548
Mary Anderson – 509-335-8548, mpanderson@wsu.edu
Jessica Cox – 253-632-3166, jessica.n.cox@email.wsu.edu (conducted in person)

Outline
1. Lede – introduce WT
2. Body
a. Police Quotes
b. Program Coordinator Quotes
c. Student Quote
3. Conclusion
a. A little bit of history
b. How to contact them/ hours of service